And now I'm just waiting for someone to like me.

I feel like I've gotten to a certain place in my writing career where I've about reached the limits of what's in my power to do for myself.

I've written two books, the best writing I can do. I've found people to read and edit and make them even better, which I guess is technically getting help from someone, but you get my point.

I've been blogging since 2009. I use just about every social media platform known to man to network with people, make writerly friends and hopefully publicize books that I don't even have an agent for yet. I write and send out short stories and poetry and picture book manuscripts. I'm brainstorming my next novel and a screenplay.

Queries for my first book started going out a little over a year ago. I'm still going at it, and now I'm querying for novel number two. Maybe I shouldn't be talking about specifics until I've actually got an agent, but you know what, it's disheartening.

I feel like I'm at that point in my career where I've done everything I can do, and now I'm just waiting for someone (an agent or an editor) to like me. And yes, of course self-publishing is a great option, I just don't think it's a great option for me and right now it's not what I want. To get what I want, to get where I want to go, I need someone to give me a yes.

The thing is, after this waiting phase goes on for long enough, you start doubting yourself and wondering if maybe you're just obliviously terrible and never had a prayer. I'm genetically optimistic enough that I can usually chase those kind of thoughts away, but sometimes they are harder to chase than I want, and they always come back.

So. What do you do in this phase? How do you know you don't just suck? And is there any way to speed up the process of finding someone to like you or is it just a waiting/numbers game?

Thanks for the advice and support, guys.

Sarah